Pubs on the 38 bus route

1 Imperial

New licensees, Anna and Craig, took over the pub in October 2020 and offer a warm welcoming pub that was tastefully refurbished recently. The Dartmoor Jail Ale and St Austell Tribute are the regular live beers with one locally sourced guest ale from a Devon brewery complemented with a popular and varied food menu (no food Mon to Wed). There is a large garden and a real fire. There is no wheelchair access to the beer garden. Alight on Western Road

28, Western Road, Ivybridge PL21 9AN Find out more here

2 Horse and Groom

A family-owned pub run by Dawn, son Pierre and husband Oliver, who is a real ale enthusiast. Good home-cooked food is served, and six pumps dispense the beer, with two dedicated to real cider. Other pumps predominantly offer ales from local breweries in Devon and Cornwall. Third-pint tapas available. There is a long bar and separate dining area. A beer festival, and a cider and sausage festival, are hosted during the year, supporting local charities. A previous winner of local CAMRA branch Country Pub of The Year. Alight directly outside the pub

Exeter Road, Bittaford, Ivybridge PL21 0EL Find out more here

3 Pack Horse

A traditional Devon village pub, parts of which date back to medieval times, and features a large inglenook fireplace. Up to three live beers are served here. It has a cosy and genuine welcoming atmosphere. It includes 4 B&B en-suite rooms and attached to the pub is the ‘Stables’ which serves breakfasts and snacks in the mornings. Nearby Bus Routes (500m) Stagecoach: X38 & Gold; Tavistock community bus: 111

1 Plymouth Road, South Brent TQ10 9BH Find out more here

4 King’s Arms

Recently reopened as a free house after refurbishment following purchase from Admiral Taverns. There is a small public bar at the front of the pub, with a larger lounge at the rear. It has comfortable seating and a beer garden at rear. Alight at Bus Station

14-15 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0BT Find out more here

5 Bowling Green

Originally an 18th century pub called The Ropemakers, the Bowling Green is a cosy local situated away from the main city centre close to Exeter City Football Club at St James Park. It has an extensive selection of reasonably priced pub food including pizzas and gluten free and vegetarian options. Four real ales are available, three are rotating and supporting local breweries. Live music every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon followed by a quiz in the evening. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) Stagecoach: J, K, 1

29-30 Blackboy Road, Exeter EX4 6ST Find out more here

6 Fat Pig

Formerly the Coachmakers Arms, this Victorian corner local behind Fore Street was brought back to life in 2008 as a traditional pub, featuring a range of locally-sourced food. There are malt whisky evenings and home brew competitions. Up to three live beers are available. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) A & F

2 John Street, Exeter EX1 1BL Find out more here

7 George’s Meeting House

This Wetherspoon opened in January 2005 having been sympathetically converted from a Unitarian Chapel dating from 1760. Many of the original features remain unaltered; these include two upstairs galleries with seating, a pulpit and stained-glass windows. A large range of national, regional and local live beers are served. Food is available throughout the day and evening. A newer extension, which is at the rear of the main building, leads to an outdoor seating area on two levels. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) none specifically listed

38 South Street, Exeter EX1 1ED Find out more here

8 Imperial

This is a Grade-II* large JD Wetherspoon pub close to the university, Central and St David’s railway stations, with buses passing close by. Built in 1810 as Elmfield House, it was converted into the Imperial Hotel in 1923, and remained a hotel until 1994. It opened as a Wetherspoon’s in February 1996, and its attractive architecture and orangery, which was added by Dr William Buller Henderson, who purchased the property in 1897, is still there to be enjoyed. The large garden offers plenty of tables and seating to enjoy in the fine weather. Ten real ales are usually available, including Abbot and Ruddles; guest ales often come from local breweries. Real cider is available from Weston’s. Good-value food is served all day until 11pm, and families are welcome. The pub is well frequented by the local student population. A function room is available for meetings etc. Wetherspoon’s beer festivals are regularly held, including some showcasing local breweries. Nearby Bus Routes (60m): Dartline: 369; Stagecoach: 5, 55, D, 155

New North Road, Exeter EX4 4AH Find out more here

9 Royal Oak

This historic 1800s roadside, thatched, multi-room pub is on the B3183 through Heavitree, close to two public car parks. Up to four live beers are served. A relaxing snug is on the right after entering via an original Dartmoor Prison door and a tack from the last heavy horse from the prison is above the welcoming fireplace. The public bar to the left leads to several roomy areas. Outside there are front and rear courtyard seated areas. Bar snacks are available. Nearby Bus Routes (50m) none listed

79-81 Fore Street, Heavitree, Exeter EX1 2RN Find out more here

10 Sawyer’s Arms

This is a 1960’s pub on the main street off St Thomas, replacing an earlier pub at a different location (No.114). It is a JD Wetherspoon pub and follows all the conventions of the well- established chain, serving a large range of live beers. Beer festivals and ‘meet the brewer’ events are held. Roomy with good sized bar, plenty of tables and seating both inside and outside. Large televisions mostly show BBC News on mute with subtitles. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) Stagecoach A, E

121 Cowick Street, Exeter EX4 1JD Find out more here

11 Ship Inn

An historic city centre pub situated along a narrow passageway between the High Street and Cathedral Green. It is one of the oldest pubs in Exeter and Sir Francis Drake used to visit. Four regular ales feature along with two guests, mostly local. The pub offers good value food served all day including a children’s menu. Live entertainment features on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) none listed

1-3 Martins Lane, Exeter EX1 1EY Find out more here

12 Thatched House Inn

This thatched building dates from the 1600’s and is a community establishment next to Exwick playing fields, opposite the Exeter College Sports Hub. It is close to the river and convenient for dog walkers, cyclists and sightseers. Seven real ales and one real cider are usually available together with great value home cooked food featuring local ingredients and producers. On street parking is available nearby and the pub is on the Stagecoach E2 bus route. Nearby Bus Routes (< ½ mile) Stagecoach: E2

Exwick Road, Exeter EX4 2BQ Find out more here

13 Topsham Brewery Tap

A historic stone building on the Haven Banks side of Exeter Quay, a popular visitor area

outside the city centre. It has an outside garden seating area that attracts a lot of passers-by - it is often busy with families and walkers during the day. In the evenings there is regularly live music or DJs in the bar, and the pizza van outside the front door opens up (7 nights and weekend lunchtimes). The bar normally has 2 or 3 Topsham cask beers, from their regular and seasonal brews, and the occasional one-off, together with 1 or 2 guests. There will also be a similar number of their craft keg beers (both regular and one-off brews), and guests. The brewery can be seen from the bar. Nearby bus routes: none listed

Haven Road, Exeter EX2 8GR Find out more here

14 Globe Hotel

The first records of the pub are from 1830, when it was called the 'Maltsters', as it had both a malt and brewhouse. By 1835 it had changed its name to the Globe. An hotel in name only, it is a town pub with road frontage, having one L-shaped bar, but no other rooms.

Fore Street, Chudleigh, TQ13 0HT Find out more here

15 Claycutters Arms

Grade ll* Listed Building with thatched roof, thought to have been built as a Devon Longhouse, and dating from the mid 1600s. The pub-restaurant is so called as it is in the Bovey Basin, which has been a ball clay mining and exporting area for many years. The pub is essentially on two levels, the bar on the higher and carvery on lower. It has timber beamed ceilings, stone floors, and open fireplaces within exposed stone wall. At the front of the building there is a pleasant tiered floral beer garden.

16 Bell Inn            

Traditional cosy town pub. 16th-century Grade II listed building with oak beams and flagstone floor. The garden is a small orchard with old farming implements. New landlords took over in Oct over 2017 and they now do bar meals and cheeses on Sundays.

Town Hall Place, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9AA Find out more here  

17 Cromwell Arms

A 17th-century inn situated in the centre of Bovey Tracey with 14 letting bedrooms and good access to Dartmoor. There is one large drinking area with two sections showing beams and exposed stonework, as well as two dining areas. At the rear is both a pleasant garden with a large wisteria covered smokers retreat, together with a car park. Children are welcome in the lounge. Up to five real ales are available, and it has appeared in the GBG as recently as 2020.

Fore Street, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9AE  Find out more here 

18 Star Inn

Originally a farmhouse, it was bought by William Mortimore in 1862 for furtherance of the sale of his own beers, Mortimore being the owner of the a brewery in Kingskerswell.

Re-opened 11th May, 2017, under new ownership after a complete refurbishment.

Old Liverton Road, Liverton, TQ12 6EZ  Find out more here  

19 Old Exeter Inn

The oldest pub in Ashburton, built in 1130 to house the workers of St. Andrews Church (opposite the inn) and has remained an inn since that date although it was originally known as the Church House Inn. Behind the bar in what was the old fireplace can be seen the large original millstones and this area houses a granite shelf for the serving of the gravity fed ales. It is reputed that Sir Francis Drake was a regular drinker at the inn on his journeys to London as was Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh was arrested at the Exeter Inn and imprisoned in the Tower of London on 19th July 1603, accused of plotting against the king. There are seated drinking areas either side of the entrance hallway in the main bar, which is L-shaped, rustic and wood-panelled. There are smaller seated areas at the rear. Lovely flagstone floored corridor leads to a secluded walled garden outside at the back.

Pub is Cashless, accepting card payments only

26 West Street, Ashburton, TQ13 7DU Find out more here

20 Silent Whistle

This pub started life as the Old Bottle and became the Railway Hotel in 1872, when the South Devon Railway branch line from Totnes arrived in the town. It became the Silent Whistle in 1962 when the branch line was closed, save for a brief period in the late '80s - early '90s when it became the Fleece & Firkin, reverting to the Silent Whistle when Ushers took over the premises in 1994.

Now run by the owners of the building. Has a Snug Room.

Real ales rotated from Dartmoor Brewery and St Austell